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Kicked to the Curb - Homeless vs. Coffee Shop

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While on a business trip in California, I witnessed firsthand the problem of homelessness.     I arrived after a six-hour flight to the city of Los Angeles and took an Uber from the airport to the hotel in Santa Monica.     The curious tourist in me was taking in all of the sights on the drive, familiar store brands, banks, and other companies with familiar names.     I was trying also to spot differences, different cultural influences, and so much more in that brief ride.     Before long though, a sad reality struck me.   What I noticed not too far out of the Los Angeles airport was the large number of homeless lining the streets in gray tattered blankets.     Sometimes you could make out the person’s body, sometimes only a lumpy blanket.     Even in Santa Monica, there were many homeless in the streets.     At night, walking along the Santa Monica beach and pier, every few hundred yards was another homeless person.   My work took me to Hollywood during the day.  While commuting from
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Jesus, Model of Humility

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  “If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather , he emptied himself,  taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,  he humbled himself,  becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.    Because of this, God greatly exalted him  and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus  every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every
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Imago Dei: Creation Receiving and Sharing God’s Love

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              “Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness.  Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth.  God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27)               Among the first words in the Holy Bible, we find the story of creation in the book of Genesis.  We learn that human beings are made  imago Dei , in the image and likeness of God.  The concept is a fundamental belief of Catholicism, and one that should help us to reflect on the inherent beauty and dignity of every human being.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights the differences between man and God’s other creations, most importantly that “the human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual, it contains a soul, and it shares in the dignity of  'the image
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  Reflection on “The Joy of Being a Deacon” by John P. Flanagan Several years ago, while presenting at another parish’s Lenten retreat, I finished my talk on holiness by asking the retreatants the question, “At the end of your life, how do you hope to be remembered by others?” I shared with the retreatants that I hope to be remembered as a man of joy.  I confessed that I know that I have a long way to go to achieve that goal, but that I continue to try to live a life of joy by attempting to love others as God loves them.  Small group discussions followed.  As each table reported back to the full group, people reported wanting to be remembered for charity, love, compassion, faithfulness, generosity, and so many other positive attributes.  I thought the sharing was going extremely well, until a woman stood up and emphatically declared, “there were a lot of good answers at our table, but I don’t think any of them matter.  I don’t care what anyone thinks about me, as God’s judgement is the
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  April 21, 2022 St. Anthony’s Shrine, Boston, MA      I have developed quite a love for St. Anthony’s Shrine in downtown Boston, MA as a place where I have experienced the merciful presence of Jesus on more than one occasion.  It is known to many as “the worker’s chapel.”  I first came to know them while working in the financial district as a place to attend Mass on holy days, but also as a place to seek mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation.      It was there several years ago that I confessed to a priest that I wasn’t honoring my father.  I told him that long periods of time could pass without me making an effort to reach out to my father and speak with him.  My penance was to pray for my father, and to begin to offer small acts of kindness toward my father.  As a result of that confession, I spent years making Monday nights my designated time to spend with my father.  It brought me more graces and blessings than I could ever even imagine.  Today, I went to confession at the shri
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Learning My Life Truths

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 Learning My Life Truths  Several years ago, I made the decision to spend more one-on-one time with my father.  The reason was simple.  Sometimes, he was a hard man to love.  I never quite figured out if my father loved the art of debate, or if he enjoyed pushing people’s buttons…or maybe a combination of the two.  Months could pass by without me reaching out to my father, or paying him a visit.  One day, in the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (or confession, for us old-timers), I confessed to the priest that I wasn’t living the fourth commandment, “honor thy father and mother.”  I explained to the priest that I loved my father, but didn’t make time for him in my life.  He instructed me to do two things, to pray for my father and to begin to perform small acts of kindness for my father.  I took that instruction to both love my father from afar (prayer), and more intimately (acts of kindness).  At that time, I decided I would set aside every Monday night to spend with my father…and
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Remembering my Father

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 Remembering my Father My father passed away on May 31, 2022.  Many years ago, he had told me that when he died, he didn't want us to be too sad, and wanted me to tell stories about him and his life, so that we would focus on the good he had done.  I was honored to be able to deliver this eulogy to my father at his funeral Mass.   Good morning.   My name is Mariano, and I am the fifth of my parents six children. On behalf of Eileen and my brothers and sisters, I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to accompany us during this time of loss, whether through the gift of presence in our homes, at the wake or here in the church, but also presence through messages, meals, flowers, and so much more.  Your expressions of love and sympathy are truly appreciated.  We also want to thank Father Jack Oliveira for his presence with my dad at his bedside on the day of his anointing.  My dad loved you so much and would be honored that you are present here today as our principal cele
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Live each day as if it was your last

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"Live each day as if it was your last."  It has often been said, "live each day as if it was your last."  The quote has been attributed to so many famous people, as if they had some tremendous insight and wisdom that's been unknown for time.  But yet, the concept is a simple truth that has been spoken for many centuries.  I often reflect on these words from the book of Ecclesiastes 7:2, "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it  to heart."  Nobody can escape death.  We should all be aware that those who live, will one day die.  Every day is a gift.   Oftentimes, death comes like a thief in the night, unexpectedly or sometimes even violently.  People sometimes express regret with words like, "I wish I had...." or "If only I had said..."  People wish for just one more day with their loved ones to be able to finally forgive, or to tell the
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The Gift of Presence

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  2 years ago Mariano J R Pimentel N o v e m b e r   7 ,   2 0 1 8    ·  Shared with Your friends When we were younger, the greatest gift that our parents gave to us was the gift of presence. Some of my favorite childhood memories include waterfront picnics with the Garcia families and Sundays at my grandmother’s house with the Pimentel Brum families. Simplicity. Just being with one another was enough to bring us all joy. Simply reflecting on those days still brings me joy today. Later in life, the same is true for what we can give to our aging parents. Monday nights are my “date nights with Papa.” Honestly, sometimes, after a long day at work, the 30-minute drive feels like a chore. Sitting with my dad and really listening to his stories (not just the hearing that I did for years) has given me so much insight into the times and events that shaped the person that my father is today. Learning about his childhood, leaving his country, starting a new life in a new land, the early
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